DC sharing a room

[AmericasTorturedBrow]

We put DD (16months) in with DS (4.5) 3weeks ago. Started first week settling her to sleep first then him going in, second week doing whole routine together, putting them down together and it seemed to be working.

This week has been shit, they "chat" which quickly turns to yelling and screeching (both getting more and more tired), we keep going in to calm them down shut them up but it reaches a point of no return eventually, DS has treats taken away, DD more often than not we force feed to sleep on a bottle, a habit we managed to break a month ago.

Help - WTF do we do? Bedtime is a fucking nightmare!

I feel your pain as my kids similar ages -4.5 and 15 months. We usually put dd2 down first so she is either asleep or nearly by time dd1 goes in (I read her a story or sing a song while dd1 settles).

If both are awake, I watch em on video monitor and go in if one is upset etc. also dd1 loses stars if messes about too much but tbh it's more dd2 who is generally being a pest about getting to sleep generally. It seems to be an age thing (dd1 was same) hence why my approach is to ride it out.

Our only option of separating them is putting DD back in with us but then she'll probably have worse nights (she's been getting slightly and very gradually better and even sometimes sleeps through now)

Maybe we should just go back to settling DD then putting DS to bed

That might work better- I remember this being the age where they need to learn to stay in bed and sleep. Agree that cosleeping a bad idea- my kids never settle that way too.

Do you have night light in there? Your oldest could read Nd younger one play in cot til sleep. Am trying to encourage this ( not doing so well but that is mainly cos dd2 is full of beans so calmly playing not her way).

I think get baby to sleep first, too. Then try to teach your older one about quiet in the bedroom: quiet reading or playing (but only on his bed)

I think the trouble is already them playing/reading/not sleeping. Individually they'll just hum or lie there until they fall asleep but together = catastrophe!

Actually I'm wondering if it's worth bringing the bedtime routine earlier, so they're not so tired when they finally go into their beds?

DS is (always has been) generally very good about bedtime, before sharing a room - if he's not tired he reads or plays quietly but has very rarely actually for out of bed. It's bloody DD that's such a sleep nuisance

Ours are in together and have been since ds2 was 6 mths. when they were little, we would put ds2 up first and he would generally be asleep when ds1 went up. We had some good, some bad nights, but they slept well and after a few months everything settled down. They often play together before they go to sleep, but do settle well. ( they are now 5 and 7)

We could separate them, but they actually sleep better together now- if we are away and they are in sep rooms, they seek each other out, ds1 has often been found asleep on the floor in ds2's room if they are split up !!

Oh that's lovely!!

I think we'll go back to settling one then the other for now